The week of madness

Oh Monday, you started out so hopeful and bright. I was smiling on my drive home, enjoying that it was staying light out later. It seemed like it would be a great week.

DUN DUN DUN

Tuesday. A typical work day. I stopped on my way home to finally use the auto car wash for my horrifically dirty car. Apparently in the winter people wait in lines on the weekend to do this? I was laughing to myself about how spooky it felt in the enclosed space with water pouring over my car after dark. I was also jamming out to Bring It On, so it wasn’t that bad.

As I got home and parked my car, I saw a cable truck outside my apartment. There was a guy standing outside that I was ignoring (it’s the NYC in me still, I don’t make eye contact or spout random pleasantries) until he said, “I hope you’re not on that half of the building, there’s no power.” He pointed to the right side of the building. Yup, that was my side. Of course, it turns out the WHOLE BUILDING lost power because of an underground line that just burnt out because it was old. It wasn’t National Grid’s problem and it was already 6pm so I figured I’d be in the dark a while while my landlord hired an electrician for the next day.

First thing: I lit a few candles. This is not an exaggeration at all when I say that no less than 5 minutes later I smelled burning hair and realized my cat singed her tail on a candle. Seriously, this cat is lucky she’s indoors. Not very bright. I threw all my (newly purchased) perishables into my freezer and started texting friends. I met a few people at the bar, got a little drunk, and then came home to entertain my confused cat in the dark. That punk was not amused that I was handicapped by not having night vision. The smoke alarms were beeping their low battery beeps and I was lamenting getting ready in the dark the next morning.

Note: The building still had heat and water so the lack of electricity, while annoying, was not nearly as bad as it could have been.

Wednesday. I discovered candle wax on my bathroom floor. That happens when you wander your home with candles at night. I had no coffee but pulled together all my random perishables and food for lunch and snacks in my bag — I am trying to still be cheap and save money — and headed to work. Again, uneventful day. Except at the end where I try to explain my powerless situation to my boss, since I needed to work from home on Friday but wasn’t sure I would have power. Honestly, I get paid to write and I’d like to think I’m pretty coherent on here, but god help me trying to verbalize my thoughts and explain anything. HILARIOUS DISASTER. Aca-awkward.

I get home to a slew of electricians and continued darkness. Around 7pm the lights came back on. What else came back on? The CO2 / smoke detectors. Every minute brought loud beeps and a mean lady saying “LOW BATTERY.” I tried resetting and unplugging and couldn’t get mine to stop. I tried not to cry and freak out and just decided to take the whole thing apart. After that I began to wind down but after only a day and a half in the dark I had random things thrown about my place and an angry cat who was freed from cowering under my bed because of the scary beeping that wouldn’t stop.

Thursday. Power, it’s such a lovely thing. I was so glad to be able to make my own coffee again. I know, it was only one day, but I like my coffee my way. Cue halfway through my commute where I spill coffee on my face and sweater and coat. I thought I had gotten pretty good at driving and eating and whatever, but apparently not. Once I parked at work I luckily had tissues to wipe the extra coffee residue off my face. The work day was actually a more fun one, with misheard words turning into a conversation about boybands and getting to know my coworkers better in general. It’s too bad none of us live near each other but hopefully some warmer weather happy hours will happen. They’re cool people.

OK, so things have turned around. I got a new battery for my CO2 / smoke detector and it no longer beeps. I officially signed a new 6-month lease for my place. I’m awaiting a friend for dinner and I have some exciting stuff planned for the next week.

Really though, I can’t wait to sleep a ton and get back to normal. I do not like my world getting rocked so much. My apartment is my hidey hole and safe haven! And I am lucky that I get to work from home tomorrow so I can finally get my permit for the new parking rules (whoops…) and I can jam out at home while working on a project that can hurt my brain sometimes.